I had first heard of Tulum in an article I read years ago, with such a beautiful narration and nice images leading one to visualize things… I remember having read the article with a feeling of longing to be there, which created a passion of Tulum in me since then… Whenever I heard Tulum being mentioned afterwards, I tried to find this article but never could, until a couple a weeks ago when I came across the magazine it appeared in, which drove me not to postpone any longer to write this post. (Photo above: Sunrise at Tulum Beach (istockphoto.com))

Tulum is a coastal town and a popular holiday destination on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, located at about one and a half hours drive from Cancún International Airport. It is in the region called as ‘Riviera Maya‘ – the Caribbean coastline south of Cancún, with small resort towns like Playa del Carmen and Puerto Morelos.

Yucatán Peninsula in southeastern Mexico and portions of Belize and Guatemala, separates the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. (Maps: istockphoto.com / transplantecapilarbrasilia.com.br)

The article I mentioned above, which I read in Condé Nast Traveller, starts with the description of some scenes in downtown Tulum as follows:

“… brightly painted houses called ‘posadas’, crates full of drink bottles, teenagers cramming tacos, bike-repair shops,  piles of cabbages sold by a grandmother listening to waltzes on the radio, and not far way, the ruins of a Mayan city overhanging the Caribbean …” (Condé Nast Traveller, March 2017)

Tulum Ruins at the old seaport of Tulum – ruins of a small city from the final decades of the Mayan civilization trading turquoise and jade when the Spanish came in the 1520s (cntraveller.com)

The Castle of Tulum Ruins (El Castillo) / Staircase down to the beach (There is a public beach near the Ruins) (Photos: my adventurouswings.com)
(Mayan civilization began as early as 1500 B.C. The Mayans lived in southern Mexico, Guatemala, and northern Belize in city-states. They were masters in astronomy, mathematics and architecture and built great pyramids and temples (britannica.com))

A Mayan calendar (thecollector.com) (The Mayan calendar was linked to astronomy.) / Mayan hieroglyphs (woman with chocolate jar before ruler on throne) (pinterest.com) (The Mayans used a writing system of pictures of animals, people and objects of daily life.)

Most of the Mayan ruins in Mexico are located in the Yucatán Peninsula, and some of the best-preserved around Tulum. Further inland the Tulum ruins are the Cobá ruins, famous for the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan peninsula. The large ancient Mayan city of Chichén Itzá from the fifth century, a UNESCO World Heritage site which is not to be missed, is at a two-hour driving distance from Tulum.

The highest Mayan pyramid (Nohuch Mul) of the Yucatan peninsula in the city of Cobá (Photo: yucatantimes.com) / “Punta Laguna Nature Reserve” near Cobá about an hour from Tulum, with activities like canoeing and ziplining, where you can observe spider monkeys, howler monkeys, jaguars, or pumas. (Photo: mexico-mexico.org)

Ziplines over a cenote, and howler monkeys in Punta Laguna Nature Reserve (Photos: ecomayanadventures.com)

Chichén Itzá archeological site. The pyramid at Chichén Itzá is counted among the New 7 Wonders of the World. There are also temples, old market place, a church, a cenote (naturally formed open well), and figures of eagles and jaguars symbolizing the warriors who capture victims to sacrifice for the gods. (chichenitza.com)

The sacred cenote in Chichén Itzá where the Mayans made ceremonial offerings / The Platform of the eagles and jaguars (Photos: chichenitza.com) (In Mayan mythology, the jaguar is said to symbolize strength and courage.)
(Chichen Itza is also home to wildlife including reptiles, iguanas, woodpeckers and green parakeets.)

Mayan ruins in Tulum near the Caribbean coast are close to Tulum beach. At the end of the Tulum beach is Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site of fascinating natural beauty, home to thousands of species of flora and fauna. The site contains a tropical forest, beaches, lagoons and there are activities like snorkeling, dolphin spotting and fly fishing. There is also Muyil Ruins, a small Mayan archeological site, near Sian Ka’an.

Sian Ka’an (Swimming in the coastal lagoons without a guide is not suggested as there are crocodiles like many parts of Yucatán (insidertulum.com)) (Photo: visitsiankaan.com)

Sunset in Sian Ka’an / A jaguar in Sian Ka’an (Photos: visitsiankaan.com)

The jaguar is a sacred symbol of Mesoamerican cultures. There is also a recently opened Jaguar National Park in Tulum, which includes the Mayan Ruins and which is almost three times the size of New York’s Central Park, dedicated to protect the environment, care for the jaguar, and the jungle. It features an archaeological museum, a hotel, and kilometers of scenic trails and bicycle paths with nice views of the Caribbean Sea. (visittulum.travel, mexiconewsdaily.com)

Tulum’s Jaguar Park includes the Mayan Ruins. (Photos: mexiconewsdaily.com) (The park is said to connect with the Tulum station of Maya Train (Tren Maya), which is not completely operational yet.)

Note that “Tulum Tower“, which offers a 360 degree view of Tulum from above where you can also have Mexican food (ceviche, brochettes, tacos, fajitas, nachos) and cocktails, and “Mystika Immersive” art museum, referred to as an immersive experience of Mayan culture are nearby the Tulum Ruins.

Tulum Tower (Photo: tulumtower.com) / A sensory experience at Mystika, where you can also see the works of
Pepe Soho, a world-renowned Mexican landscape and nature photographer (Photo: mystikaimmersive.com)

Tulum is famous for its beautiful white-sand beaches and turquoise blue waters, one of the main reasons that it has become such a popular destination as we hear today.

Tulum Beach with white powdery soft sand, and tall coconut palm trees… Seems so relaxing and inspiring…. (Photo: booking.com)

Another thing Tulum is famous for is its’ ‘cenotes‘, the natural sinkholes that have filled with clear groundwater and rainwater over time, where you can dive and swim in freshwater – so clear in some that you can see the colorful fish under water. It is thought that the cenotes, which the Mayans believed were gateways to the afterlife and used for their sacred rituals as well as water supplies, have been created by a large asteroid that struck earth 66 million years ago, killing off the dinosaurs and creating the Chicxulub crater in the Yucatán. Some of the cenotes are lit by floodlight, in others wearing a headlamp or hiring a guide is suggested. (‘Tulum Gypset‘ book by Julia Chaplin, 2019, Assouline)

‘Cenote Ik-Kil’ near Chichén Itzá from above (Photo: chichenitza.com)
(There are open-air and cave cenotes throughout the Yucatán Peninsula – popular places to cool off from heat or to dive. I had mentioned about the cenotes before in my older post titled “The Movie “Coco” and Mexico’s ‘Día de Los Muertos’(click for the link)”)

Divers in ‘Cenote Dos Ojos‘ (Photo: cenotesmexico.org) / ‘Gran Cenote’ (Photo: tripadvisor.co.nz) (Dos Ojos and Gran Cenote are the most popular cenotes near Tulum, but there are many cenotes in the area and you can discover one appealing to you.)

Tulum was not famous before at all, but a remote unheard corner of the world. The article I have mentioned above says that in the 1970s, there were just “a handful of North American hippies with backpacks and tools to cut through the jungle to the beach” and the “big-game fishermen staying at the only lodge near the lagoons“. Then in the 1980s campers and divers had followed, and finally Pablo Escobar, who was coming occasionally and hiding in his white-terraced villa within the forest.

Entrance of Casa Malca Hotel, Tulum, the former home and hideout of Pablo Escobar (Photo: revistavanityfair.es (small photo: Drug trafficker Pablo Escobar, and his wife Maria Victoria in 1983 in Colombia))

The pool of Casa Malca and the property pictured following its restoration. The hotel has a rustic design, and modern artworks inside. (Photos: nypost.com / dailymail.co.uk)

In the 1990s, with the opening of “beach shacks made of tarpaulin sheets and ropes“, and photographers, fashion and yoga people flocking, Tulum’s reputation grew – for its “lovely long beaches, fresh mango and orange juices mixed up by pretty girls in leather skirts, and its low-key simple pleasures“. (cntraveller.com)

A guest on the beach at the Nômade Hotel, Tulum (Photo: cntraveller.com)

Low-key simple pleasures still count for Tulum like sunbathing at the thatch roofed cabins or lying in a hammock on the beach, jumping into a cenote, practicing yoga, smell and taste of fresh coconuts or having a tropical juice at a beachside bar, but there is much more today that draw people to this Mexican town:

Luxury rustic hotels, trendy restaurants, organic cuisine, beach parties, DJ events, Burning Man-style festivals, yoga and sound baths, ‘quantum meditation’ or healing sessions by shamans, boutique shops, and the bohemian atmosphere created by the yoga instructors, designers, healers, and all the ‘Tuluminati’s who love vacation and lifestyle in Tulum…

La Zebra Beach Hotel, Tulum (Photo: lazebratulum.com)

People partying in Tulum on candle or fire light (2 Photos: insidertulum.com)

Tulum is split into two main areas, Tulum Town and Tulum Beach, and consists of three zones: ‘Tulum Pueblo’ (Downtown Tulum), ‘Zona Hotelera‘, (Hotel Zone) near most of the beaches; and the archeological zone (Mayan ruins of Tulum). ‘Zone Hotelera‘, the main beach area, is where more upscale and expensive hotels are located. With a tropical jungle on one side of the long beach highway, and the Caribbean Sea on the other, rustic hotels in this area are quite popular – often sold out. (trevelusnews.com, forbes.com)

Day beds at Sanará Hotel Tulum (left) and Bar at Nômade Hotel Tulum (right) (Photos taken in 2017 (cntraveller.com))
(Sanará Tulum is now under the ownership of the brand ‘Lula Tulum’)

Eco-friendly boutique hotels, eco-resorts or ‘haciendas’ along the beach have palm thatch roofed cabins, hammocks, lovely bohemian beach bars, and offer spas and yoga sessions you can witness during pretty sunrises on the beach. It is said that the region is off the grid and hotels use solar and wind energy or generators to provide electricity. Fire and candles create a bohemian romantic ambiance at nights.

Amansala Resort, Tulum – a yoga and wellness resort and spa (Photos above and below: amansala.com)

Most of the beachfront hotels in Tulum are owned by foreigners.
‘Be Tulum’ and ‘Nômade‘ are among the chicest and priciest ones, owned and designed by Argentine architect Sebastian Sas. Casa Malca, Pablo Escobar’s former mansion, is owned by Lio Malca, a hotelier and art dealer from Colombia. ‘Amansala‘, an authentic eco-chic beach resort, was co-founded by a New York transplant. A Guadalajara transplant opened ‘Casa Violeta’, a chic and tranquil hotel on the Tulum Beach featuring charming and pleasantly decorated bungalows. ‘Coqui Coqui‘ was opened by an Italian young couple as a small exclusive guest house on the beach, rustic and stylish filled with candles and Mayan handicrafts, whose guests like Sienna Miller liked its absence of amenities like TV or air conditioning. (‘Tulum Gypset‘ book by Julia Chaplin, 2019, Assouline)

Be Tulum – a small seaside hotel known for its spa and morning yoga sessions (Photos: betulum.com)

Swing at and table made from tree trunk at Nômade Tulum, a hotel with a nomadic soul just like its name with cabanas, beach tents and rugs. Nômade is known for its yoga sessions, sound garden and DJ nights. (cntraveller.com)

The beachfront hotels on the beautiful Tulum beach are also yoga destinations. I have read that Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Reese Witherspoon have all done yoga retreats at ‘Amansala Resort‘ on the beautiful Tulum Beach. Celebrities including Paris Hilton had been seen at ‘Habitas‘ of luxe canvas tents right on the beach, or at ‘Azulik‘, which is said to be like a ‘modern day Swiss Family Robinson treehouse’ with thatched-roof lodges. (people.com)

Our Habitas Tulum (Photos: ourhabitas.com)

‘Hotel Esencia‘, whose photos I adored, had been originally built as the private home of an Italian duchess. Opened in 2014, it is located in the pristine Xpu-ha cove near the Yucatán jungle – one of the only remaining undeveloped shores of the Mayan Riviera. The hotel, said to be a favorite of the fashion set including Gwyneth Palthrow, is owned by Hollywood producer and entrepreneur Kevin Wendle. (hotelesencia.com, ‘Tulum Gypset’ book)

Hotel Esencia, Riviera Maya, Tulum (Photo: Tanveer Badal)
In 2023, The World’s 50 Best Hotels academy had voted Hotel Esencia 19th, and the hotel has won many prestigious travel awards including this year. (hotelesencia.com)

Hotel Esencia – A chic and romantic room terrace and a calm beautiful beach (Photos above and below: hotelesencia.com)

Most of the hotels above are part of the ‘Michelin Guide hotel selection’ – hotels chosen by Michelin experts for their style and service. I would also like to mention “Nest Tulum“, founded by an American music-business veteran, and “Encantada Tulum” – the ones I noticed in their list. They are beachfront small boutique hotels in Zone Hotelera, intimate and pleasant, both with restaurants offering local Mexican cuisine. (guide.michelin.com) Note also that they are more budget hotels than the above.

Nest Tulum (Photos: guide.michelin.com)

Encantada Tulum (Photos: guide.michelin.com)

It is possible to find cheaper accommodations in the center of town or in the jungle. “Hotel Tiki Tiki“, a small boutique hotel, is suggested as one of the best affordable options in the region. The hotel in the middle of the jungle behind the Tulum Pueblo, offers bikes, scooters and tuk-tuks for its guests. (thetimes.co.uk).

Hotel Tiki Tiki, Tulum (Photo: guide.michelin.com) / The bar at Tiki Tiki (Photo: cntraveller.com)

A few minutes away is “Holistika Hotel” and holistic retreat center with a yoga studio, spa treatments and temazcal (sweat lodge) open to public. Holistika is said to be for ‘serious yogis and travelers prioritizing their wellness’ who gather around the rectangular outdoor pool by day, and around the property’s fire pit at night to enjoy live music. The property’s restaurant Tierra offers light vegetarian cuisine including acai and cacao bowls for breakfast, and wood-fired pizzas for dinner. (cntraveler.com)

Holistika Hotel, Tulum (Photos: forbes.com.mx)

I would also like to mention “Wakax Hacienda“, a brand new cenote hotel opened in 2022 built in the colonial style located in the middle of the jungle – about 12 km away from Tulum Downtown. The resort is so big, and seems like a magical place within the green with so much to enjoy.

Wakax Hacienda, Tulum (Photo: mrandmrssmith.com)

Wakax Hacienda (Photos: tripadvisor.es / wakaxhacienda.com)

Wakax features two lakes, three cenotes, two underground rivers, three pools, and a temezcal (sweat lodge). Free bikes, kayaks and paddleboards (for the lake) are available. Wakax offers a jungle bike tour, and underground rivers and caves tour. The resort has also a church used in ceremonies and weddings. (everysteph.com)

Inside Wakax Hacienda (Photos: mrandmrssmith.com(left) / agoda.com (right)) (One of my friend who has recently visited Tulum stayed at this hotel and was very pleased with it. She said the weather was a little harsh during their stay, not good enough to do the beach, and they were happy with the pools and cenotes of the hotel.)

In the summer of 2016, Coqui Coqui, Uno Astro Lodge (a liked hotel home to many healers and musicians), and many other hotels were seized by authorities due to a land title dispute (breach of an oral lease contract between owners and the municipality). Mexican law does not allow foreigners to own oceanfront property outright – a third party or a bank is required. Sixteen hotels and restaurants were evicted and hotel guests were forced to leave. (cntraveller.com, theyucatantimes.com)

Coqui Coqui on Tulum Beach, said to be the first boutique hotel of Tulum opened in 2003. (Photo: cntraveler.com)
It temporarily moved to the jungle in Cobá after the hotel evictions in 2016. The company opened more hotels in the Yucatan Peninsula (located in Valladolid, Izamal, Merida, Coba) and in Bora Bora since then. The brand is also a well-known perfumery with fragrant candles in every room of its hotels. (travelplusstyle.com)

Coqui Coqui Tulum, where all the rooms, with candle and mosquito-netted beds, had views of both the Mexican jungle and the Caribbean Sea (Photos: nytimes.com)

Coqui Coqui near Tulum in Cobá (Photo: theperfecthideaway.com/coqui-coqui-coba)

It is said that there are more than 200 hotels on the main beach zone of Tulum. Among the exempt of hotel evictions is “Ahau Tulum“, owned by Roberto Palazuelos, president of the Tulum Hotel Association.

Ahau Tulum / Master Ocean Suite and Deluxe Bali Hut at Ahau Tulum (Photos: ahaucollection.com)

Ahau Tulum is home to a famous Tulum statue ‘Ven a la Luz‘ (Spanish for ‘come to the light’), one of the most instagrammed spots in Tulum made by South African artist Daniel Popper – first installed for the Art With Me Tulum Festival in 2018. The statue is located in a Sculpture Park in an outdoor garden at Ahau Tulum. (tulumtravelsecrets.com)

‘Ven a la Luz‘ statute – a native woman opening her heart for people to enter (Photo: theyucatantimes.com). Artist Daniel Popper had said the sculpture represents man’s delicate relationship with nature (tulumtravelsecrets.com).

Following this creative statue within the greens, I will mention ‘Azulik Uh May‘, an arts and holistic center displaying the Mayan traditions, located in the jungle behind the small village of Francisco Uh May – thirty minutes from the coastal Tulum. Although within the same group, it is different from ‘Azulik‘, an exclusive hotel of wooden villas on Tulum coast.

Rooms at Azulik hotel on Tulum coast (Photos: agoda.com)

Azulik Uh May near Tulum, where residences with odd curvings rise from the jungle floor above the tree canopies and are linked by outdoor wood vine-like walkways. An article says that here one feels like being in a strange Avatar world on another planet (forbes.com). (Photos:cbsnews.com)

Roth ( (Eduardo Neira) (right), founder and CEO of Azulik and Azulik Uh May and his chef Rogelio Gorozpe Loman (left) at Azulik Uh May / Nest dining at Kin Toh (a Mayan-Mexican fusion restaurant) at Azulik – a quite popular dining experience
(Photos: forbes.com)

The nests at Kin Toh restaurant at Azulik hotel are situated on top of the trees and provide a 360-degree view of the the Caribbean Sea and the jungle (Photos: broth.com/kin-toh)

There is a wide range of culinary styles in Tulum. You can opt for a beach bar, a taco stand, or a more upscale restaurant in the jungle.
‘Hartwood‘, opened by Eric Werner, a chef and ex-New Yorker and his wife Mya Henry in 2010 on the jungle side of the main beach road is very popular and is said to be the trendiest restaurant in Tulum. Food at Hartwood, which has a candle-lit rustic courtyard and powered by solar panels, is cooked on open flame -wood burning oven and grill with local organic ingredients. Sour oranges, coconuts, saramuyo and papaya empanadas are among the selections from its Mayan fusion menu. Werner had said: “We wanted to connect an international clientele to the local Mayan community.” (‘Tulum Gypset‘ book by Julia Chaplin, 2019, Assouline)

Hartwood restaurant, Tulum, where people are said to wait for hours for a table every night. (Photo: nyfjournal.com)

‘NÜ Tulum‘ and ‘Casa Jaguar‘ are jungle restaurants with a similar vibe as Hartwood with live music. They basically offer traditional Riviera Maya dishes based on fresh fish and vegetables cooked on fire with local ingredients. They have a cosy ambiance with lots of lit candles, and the reflections of the Mayan culture and the wild forest. (cntraveller.com)

NÜ Tulum (Photo: linkedin.com (post by La Valise Hotels, owner of NÜ restaurant))

‘Gitano‘ is another a jungle restaurant offering modern Mexican cuisine – mentioned as a lively popular party spot in Tulum with tropical jungle vibes and handcrafted cocktails. It has a bar and a dance floor surrounded by greenery and twinkling lights. Gitano brand has also a pleasant beach hotel (Casa Hitano Beach Club) on Tulum beach. (gitano.com, amansala.com)

Gitano (Spanish for gypsy) restaurant – a popular party spot of Tulum’s nightlife (Photo: gitano.com)

‘Raw Love’ cafe at ‘Ahau Tulum’ hotel, and ‘Matcha Mama‘ in Tulum’s beach are suggested for healthy vegan dishes, fresh-pressed juices and regional ingredients like coconut, papaya, and pineapple. They serve vegan smoothies, smoothie and açai bowls, vegan ice cream, kombucha, granola and more. (ahaucollection.com, firstclassmagazine.co)

‘Raw Love‘ inside Ahau Tulum hotel (Photo: firstclassmagazine.co) and the cute stand of ‘Matcha Mama‘ (Photo: Pinterest)

‘Naná Rooftop Bar’ and ‘Ciel Rose Sunset Bar‘ are counted among the popular rooftop bars in Tulum. ‘Arca‘ restaurant and bar, which also offers traditional Mexican dishes, is also suggested as a cool place, with high-raised lanterns. (insiderstulum.com, cntraveller.com)

Arca, Tulum (Photo: opentable.com) / Coctails at Arca (Photo: yelp.com) (Arca in Tulum is counted among Latin America’s best restaurants and bars (theworlds50best.com)).

Mezcal, a type of tequila, and mezcal-based cocktails are quite popular in Tulum. Alison Loehnis, president of Net-A-Porter, suggests Casa Malca hotel, Escobar’s former home I have mentioned above for a mezcal Margarita. She says:
“After-hours, we go to Casa Malca, a beautiful art-filled space, for a mezcal Margarita – the perfect end to a day at the beach.”

Another place Loehnis suggests for drinks is ‘Posada Margherita’. She says: “Posada Margherita is a dream … “, and suggests the place for its juice bar, fresh coconuts and delicious pizza. (cntraveller.com)

Casa Malca’s rooftop / Posada Margherita (Photos: Jon Attenborough, cntraveller.com)

Posada Margherita is a tranquil, Italian-inspired boutique hotel and restaurant on Tulum Beach, opened by  two childhood friends from Genoa. It has a pleasant Italian restaurant. (posadamargherita.com)

A room in Posada Margherita / Ice cream in ‘Posada Margherita Ristorante‘ (Photos: posadamargherita.com)

The main beach road in Tulum is lined with local boutiques. Among the suggested are “Mr Blackbird” specialised in handmade jewellery, clothes, bags and rope sandals, ”Natural Rough” with ethical handclothing and accessories, and “Caravana” with Grecian dresses made of soft cotton garments.”Coqui Coqui”, famous for its candles and perfumes, is just outside Tulum in Cobá. (cntraveller.com)

Mr. Blackbird, a nice local boutique on Tulum’s beach road (Photo: tulumnow.com) / Coqui Coqui perfumes (Photo: coquicoqui.com)

Around Tulum

Tulum is often compared with Cancún or small towns of Riviera Maya like Playa del Carmen or Akumal all of which are popular vacation spots. Cancún, in the north of Riviera Maya, is known for its beaches, water sports, all-inclusive resorts and nightlife. (See the map at the beginning of the post)

Cancún (Photo: Jonathan Ross/Getty Images via travelandleisure.com)

Akumal, located between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, is a very small beach town in Riviera Maya home to Akumal Beach with its resident sea turtles (In Mayan, akumal means ‘land of turtles’), and “PGA Riviera Maya Golf Club”.
Playa del Carmen is the biggest of the small towns in Riviera Maya with larger resort-style hotels and beach clubs. Its most popular street is Fifth Avenue with restaurants, bars, nightclubs, boutiques, ice cream shops and art exhibitions. (locogringo.com)

Akumal (left) / Parque Fundadores park overlooking Playa del Carmen’s main beach (right) (Photos: locogringo.com)

Playa del Carmen looks out to the island of Cozumel, loved by divers. Isla Mujeres (near Cancun), home to whale sharks, is popular for snorkeling. Holbox, a remote tropical island located on the north coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in Chiquila town (2 hours from Cancun) is said to be “the new Tulum” – Tulum without the crowds. (thetimes.co.uk)

Isla Holbox (Holbox island) (Photo:7×7.com) (Crossing to Holbox from Chiquila town by ferry takes about 25 minutes.)

I will mention Xcaret Park here, a great natural theme park, one of the biggest in Mexico – a must visit destination located a few kilometers south of Playa del Carmen. It is the middle of the jungle with natural settings like underground rivers, cenotes, and the Caribbean, and home to a water park, amusement park, eco-archeological park, Butterfly Pavilion, Coral Reef Aquarium, flora and fauna (including deer, crocodiles or jaguars), a Mayan village of Mexican history and traditions, and much more attractions – almost impossible to do all in one day. (xcaret.com)

Xcaret Park from above (Photo: grupoxcaret.com)

Among the highlights of Xcaret Park are swimming with the dolphins attraction and ‘Xcaret México Espectacular‘ – a live show at night, which is a performance with more than 300 artists and a display of Mexican culture with music, folklore, and typical Mexican cuisine.

Attractions at Xcaret Park near Playa del Carmen (Photos above and below: xcaret.com)

Xcaret group owns several nature-based theme parks and attractions in Cancun and Riviera Maya. The newest project of the group which drew my attention is Xibalbá Park, located near the city of Valladolid. In Mayan belief, Xibalbá represents the underground world (afterlife). Xibalbá Park is home to eight cenotes (open, semi-open or closed) – gateways to Xibalbá.  The park offers activities like cenote tours, canoeing, snorkeling, hiking, bird-watching and features a traditional Mayan village with Mexican products and crafts.

A cenote in Xibalbá Park / Xibalbá guests will be able to canoe on this stone-encased canal (Photos: Grupo Xcaret via iaapa.org)
(Xibalbá Park has been completed and waiting for the official permits to be opened.)

Xcaret’s tours division also organizes day trips to archaeological sites including Chichén Itzá – the UNESCO listed Mayan city I mentioned above.

‘La Calzada de Los Frailes‘, the famous beautiful pastel-colored street in the city of Valladolid / Sunrise at Chichén Itzá (Photos: valladolid.mx / kimkim.com) (Valladolid is closer to Chichén Itzá (45 minutes) than Tulum and Playa del Carmen)

Valladolid, a small city on Yucatán Peninsula near major Mayan sites – known for its colorful buildings (left) (Valladolid is also home to a Coqui Coqui hotel and Perfumery.) / Plaza Grande in downtown Mérida and Mérida’s Cathedral (right) (Photos: kimkim.com)

I would also like to mention Mérida, as it is the capital of the state of Yucatán, but not only for that. It is a beautiful city with charming pastel colored buildings and offers not only the amenities of a capital city, but also the natural historic Mayan vibes of the Yucatán. The city is one and a half hours away from Chichén Itzá. The Mayan ruins of Uxmal is about an hour’s drive from Mérida. The city also houses ‘The Great Museum of the Mayan World‘. (yucatan.travel)

Uxmal Mayan Ruins – the Mayan city which was founded in the 7th century (Photo: viator.com) / Great Museum of the Mayan World (Photo: yucatan.travel)

‘Paseo de Montejo‘, a charming avenue in Mérida, with hotels, cafés, banks, museums, government buildings, and beautiful mansions inspired from the French neoclassical style – which once belonged to rich and powerful people who settled here (Photo and info: meridaelite.com)

Casa Lecanda (left) in Paseo Montejo zone (Photo: telegraph.co.uk), and Coqui Coqui Mérida (right) (Photo: travelplusstyle.com) – two suggested elegant boutique hotels in the center of Mérida.

Back To Tulum

In an article by Michelin Guide, it says Tulum is no longer the hidden gem it once was, but it is not Cancún either. It gives a nice comparison of Tulum, Cancún and Playa del Carmen, which I liked. The article says:

If you want all-inclusive family fun and a more mainstream atmosphere, Cancún has you well-covered. If you want a little more edge, a lot more lively bars and trendy restaurants, and a strong whiff of the bohemian ambience that brought everyone here in the first place, then you come to Tulum. And if you want a sort of mixture of both, Playa del Carmen is located right in between. (guide.michelin.com)

Road signs in Tulum (Photos: Pinterest)

I have recently read an article about “Tuluminati“s (combination of Tulum and Illuminati), a term you can hear while staying in Tulum, said to describe “privileged gringo hippies that have come to take over and gentrify” Tulum in recent years – a nickname for a group of influential and powerful people in Tulum’s social scene. The article says Tuluminatis stay at the best beach resorts, eat at the healthiest restaurants and party at the best nightclubs. They are said to be into house and electronic music, drugs, and to be very popular on Instagram with their boho-style clothing. (thetulumbible.com, March 2023)

Tuluminatis are mostly said to be vegan / Wardrobe of a Tuluminati – a classic hat with a feather, a pancho, a kimono, sandals, anything leather and more, evoking a Burning Man festival style. Tuluminati is said to draw attention to contradictions in Tulum’s identity as a global tourist destination and a local community. (Photos and info: thetulumbible.com)

‘Tulum Warrior‘ festival in Tulum – a gathering of artists, musicians, designers and creatives worldwide to celebrate Mexican electronic music and culture (Photo: edmtree.com) (You may check ‘mayanwarrior.com’ and ‘tulum.party’ sites for more info)

Tulum Pueblo (Photo: theguardian.com) (Local people in Tulum are said to face losing their homes as land is sold for luxury housing.)

Tulum from the Morning to the Evening

The article I mentioned at the very beginning of this post, (in Condé Nast Traveller), my first encounter with Tulum, presents a wonderful visualization of ‘morning, afternoon and evening in Tulum’ that I would like to share here in partial extracts (cntraveller.com):

Morning in Tulum

“The tropical dawn comes fast, darkness thinning through soft rose to blue … Out come the pelicans diving to the sea to catch a fish which they always do as the sea is full… With the light, you can see pretty people doing dawn yoga … A group of boys looking for a hangover cure at a beach stall, and finding it in fresh coconut flesh drizzled with lime juice and salted chili flakes … “

Sunrise on Tulum Beach (Photos: Jon Attenborough via cntraveller.com (left) / TripAdvisor.com (right)

“… hotel restaurants and beach-road stalls serve romaine-and-parsley juices, and ‘planetary soul food‘… By 10am the hotels’ cabanas and day beds have been set up on the beach … scent of resin from a Mayan tree burned for spirit-cleansing rituals… as the morning thickens iguanas emerge from behind sprays of wild yellow flowers to lounge in the sun …” (cntraveller.com)

Beach in front of La Zebra Tulum / Matcha Mama on Tulum Beach (Photos: boundlessroads.com / firstclassmagazine.co)

Afternoon in Tulum

“Intense spiritual things talked about along Boca Paila… people like Jim Morrison’s shaman who had once been in Tulum… fire ceremonies and sweat lodges… Beach platforms for stretching, pop-up chai bars, and sound-healing areas … on the sand which is as white and fine as dust...“

Tulum’s south beach at sunset (Photo: thehaphazardtraveler.com)

“Prawns flung directly from the sea onto grills for lunch at the fashionable hotels, and the bars on the sand are opening, constructed from sun-bleached wood … As someone hangs a bikini to dry on a hammock woven from green vines, Chopin plays on a small radio. …” (cntraveller.com)

The beach bar at Ahau hotel (Photo: mexicodave.com)

Smoothie bowls and cocktails on Tulum Beach (Photos: Matcha Mama’s Facebook / siankaantours.org)

The article says that all music, all news and world events is like a background noise. Probably due to this beautiful, natural, and mystic environment…

Evening in Tulum

“Just as dawn is quick, the night comes down fast, road suddenly full of men emerging from a day’s work in the jungle, waiting for pick-up trucks and eating the scarlet-fleshed mamey fruit… Woodpeckers returning to the trunks of ceiba trees that line the way…” (cntraveller.com)

A man selling mamey fruit in Tulum (Photo: Facebook account of Arca bar) /A Mayan tree (Photo: losarbolestulum.org)
(Ceiba is a tall tropical tree measuring up to 50 meters. The Maya considered it a sacred tree, as it linked the underground world (Xibalbá) with the world of the living.)

Sunset on Tulum Beach (Photo: hotelcabanastulum.com)

“The torches being lit outside restaurants and bars…VW Beetles and vintage American cars parked outside… Lantern-lit shops selling fringed dresses and beaded bags in pink-hot twilight…“

“Americans, Argentinians, Spanish, the newlyweds, … birthday parties… all raising cocktails… Actors cycling past in wind-tattered straw hats whose baskets are stuffed with bottles of wine… On the beach by the Nômade hotel, a band is playing…“

“Near midnight, the sky is full of stars, so vivid that it feels like you could pluck one down … the girls lying on the sun-warmed sand…, the continuous waves, in the colour of moonlight…” (cntraveller.com)

‘Gitano’, Tulum / DJ at ‘Nômade Tulum’ (Photos:amansala.com / insiderstulum.com)

David Graziano, Tulum hotelier says the following about Tulum:

“People here are happier and smile more. There’s a lot of hugging and looking you in the eye.
It’s contagious.” (‘Tulum Gypset‘ book , Assouline)

A beachside bar / Backgammon players at the bar at ‘Loyal Order’ (on Tulum Beach), where musicians and artists like to gather (Photos taken by my mobile phone from ‘Tulum Gypset’ book, Assouline)

You may also hear that Tulum is overrated – the distances are long and the prices are high. Taxi fare from the airport (airport in Cancún) to Tulum downtown is about 250 dollars, as I was told by a friend who has recently visited Tulum. Tulum Airport has opened a few months ago but it does not receive many international flights yet. Hotels and restaurants in the Hotel Zone near the beaches are mostly quite expensive. You can do Tulum a bit more on a budget though if you stay in Tulum downtown or in the jungle rather than near the beach.

Road to Tulum from Playa del Carmen (viajeroscallejeros.com) / A scooter rental shop in Tulum (thediscoverynut.com)

You cannot do Tulum on foot. Casa Malca hotel for instance, once Escobar’s house and hideout in Tulum, is at about twenty five minutes driving distance to Tulum Ruins. Bikes or scooters are popular to get around the town as well as colectivos (shared shuttle). There are many bike rental shops in Tulum and most hotels rent bikes. You can also rent a car or take a local tour for the excursions or Mayan ruins around Tulum.

Tulum Beach (yucatantimes.com) / Bikes near Tulum Beach (iStockphoto via firstclassmagazine.co) (Note that from March/April to September, sargassum seaweed may arrive on Tulum’s beaches (siankaantours.org).)

Well … Tulum is not a remote hidden corner of Mexico anymore, but a stylish beach town – a popular vacation spot and a town of a bohemian lifestyle of eco-friendly resorts and haciendas, wellness events, beach bars, wild parties and organic cuisine: with a price…

However, Tulum still has thatched roof and cabins, which to me look so pleasant and warm, cool wooden beach bars, and it still has hammocks under palm trees on its gorgeous white-sand beaches, in which you can lie down and listen to the sound of the waves…

A beachfront bungalow in Soliman Bay, Tulum (Photo: vrbo.com) (Soliman Bay Beach is a calm secluded beach near Tulum.)

In the Tulum book I have mentioned before, it says:

Tulum has the feeling of a giant campsite... A nomadic design style… Furniture is handmade by local artists… Restaurants have thatched roofs and sand floors to handle frequent rainstorms, old rusty transistor radios, and weathered Victorian lamps... (‘Tulum Gypset‘ book by Julia Chaplin, 2019, Assouline)

Main dining area of Nômade Tulum, with its sand floors, sandy kilim rugs and leather poufs (Photo: nomadetulum.com)

And Tulum has still a wild nature of tropical jungles, cenotes, ancient Mayan Ruins, jaguars, panthers, crocodiles, iguanas, hummingbirds and more…

A jaguar (nytimes.com / A cinnamon hummingbird (birdforum.net)
(Hummingbird is seen as a symbol of love, joy, and beauty, often associated with the sun. Jaguar is seen as a symbol of strength, courage and stealth. (aboutmybrain.com). Tulum has it both, either to feed your beach mood or adventurous soul…)

As you sip your Mezcal Margarita at Casa Malca, or when you hear the sounds of jaguars coming from the jungle, you may think of the dark times of Tulum, the times when Escobar was hiding within its forest, or of Tulum’s rich history and Mayan heritage with traces all over the town…

Casa Malca – rooftop view (luxurytravelmagazine.com) / Mezcal Margarita I tried in Istanbul owing to this post – which I liked.